The document discusses the types of medication orders, the six rights of administering medication, routes of medication administration, important considerations when administering medication including dosage calculations and identifying the patient, common abbreviations used, and the importance of proper documentation. It emphasizes that nurses must understand pharmacology and drug administration fundamentals to safely administer medications.

2.  Explain the two types of order and the
responsibilities in carrying out order
 List and elaborate the 6 right of administering
medication
 Identify the do and don’t in administering
medication
 Identify the common abbreviation when
administering medication
 Discuss the important consideration of
medication administration
 Practice the right technique in administering
medication by following the 6 rights

3.  Drug(pharmacological definition):
A chemical substance administered
for the diagnosis, cure, treatment,
relief or prevention of disease. Used
to otherwise enhance physical or
mental well-being

4.  Drug administration is very important and
can be a dangerous duty
› Given correctly – restore patient to
health
› Given incorrectly – patient’s condition
can worsen

5. Nurses must:
› Understand principles of pharmacology
› Understand fundamentals of drug
administration
 Routes
 Dosage calculations
 Techniques for injection
 Six rights
 Patient education

6.  Standing Order- it is carried out until the
specified period of time or until it is
discontinued by another order.
 Single Order- it is carried out for one time only.
 Stat Order- it is carried out at once or
immediately.
 PRN Order- it is carried out as the patient
requires.

7.  1. Observe the “6 Rights” of drug
administration.
› 1. Right drug
› 2. Right dose
› 3. Right time
› 4. Right route
› 5. Right patient
› 6. Right documentation

8.  2. Practice asepsis
 3. Nurses who administer medications
are responsible for their own actions.
Question any order that you consider
incorrect.
 4. Be knowledgeable about medications
that you administer.
 5. keep narcotics and barbiturates in
locked place.
 6. Use only medications that are clearly
labeled containers in.

9.  7. Return liquid that are cloudy or have
changed in colour to the pharmacy
 8. Before administering a
medication, identify the client correctly.
 9. Do not leave the medications at the
bedside.
 10. If the client vomits after taking oral
medication, report this to the nurse in
charge and/or physician.

10. Identify the drug from the Dr.’s order. Clarify
with the Dr. if in doubt.
Check the drug three times:
- before removing it from the trolley or shelf
- when the drug is removed from the container
- before the container is returned to storage
- check the expiry date of the drug
Check the drug with another RN for DDA &
barbiturate.

11.  The nurse should be familiar with the
generic drug name as well as the trade
name.
 The use of generic name in clinical
practice is preferred to reduce the risk of
medication errors.

12. - Check the dose, read the container
label, calculate the dose & check
with a RN if necessary.
- Use proper measuring devices for
liquids, do not crush tablets or open
capsules unless directed to by the
pharmacist. (do not crush enteric
coated tablets).

13.  If a drug is required in another form you
may get it from the pharmacy.
 Pediatric & elderly more sensitive to
medications – need extra caution with
drug dosage.

14.  For routine medication orders, the
medications must be given no more than
30 min before or after the actual time
specified in the prescriber’s order.
E.g., 9.00am med, may be given between
8.30am-9.30am.
 The effect of changing in dosing or timing
of medication should never be
underestimate because one missed dose of
certain medication can be life threatening.

15.  Other factors must be considered when
determining the right time e.g., multiple
drug therapy, drug-drug or drug-food
compatibility, scheduling of diagnostic
studies, bioavailability of drug (e.g., the
need for consistence timing of doses
around the clock to maintain blood
levels), drug actions, and any biorhythm
effects such as occur with steroids.

16.  Oral Route Forms: a) solid: tablet, capsule, pill,
powder.
 b) liquid: syrup, suspension, emulsion.
 Enteric coated tablets should not be crushed
before administration. Suspensions are never
administered intravenously. If the patient
vomits within 20 – 30mins of taking the drugs,
notify the physician. Do not readminister the
drug without a physicians order.


17.  2. Sublingual- drug placed under the
tongue, where it dissolves.
 3. Buccal- medication is held in the mouth
against the mucous membranes. of the
cheek until the drug dissolves.
 4. Topical a) Dermatologic-
lotions, liniments, ointment, pastes and
powders. b) Ophthalmic- instillations and
irrigations. c) Otic, d) Nasal, e) Inhalation, f)
Vaginal-
tablet, cream, jelly, foam, suppository
 5. Rectal- (objectionable taste or odor)

18. 18

19.  6. Parenteral- administration of medications by
needle.
 a) Intradermal (ID)- under the epidermis (into the
dermis).
 b) subcutaneous (SC)- in the subcutaneous
tissue (also, hypodermic)
 c) intramuscular (IM)- into the muscle.
 d) intravenous (IV)- into a vein.
 e) intraarterial- into an artery.
 f) intraosseous- into the bone.

20. › Checking the pt’s identity before giving
each medication dose is critical to the
pt’s safety.
› Ask the patient to state his/her name and
check his ID band to confirm pt’s
name, ID number, age, and allergies
against the medication chart.

21.  Documentation of information r/to
administrations is crucial to pt safety.
 The pt’s chart should always have the
following:
› Date & time of the medication administered
› Name of medication, dose, route & site of
administration.
› Drug action – to assess the changes of
symptoms the pt experiencing, adverse
effects, toxicity & other drug-related physical
& physiologic symptoms.

22.  Improvement of the pt’s
condition, symptom, disease process.
 No changes/lack of improvement.
 Patient’s teaching/degree of pt’s
understanding.

23.  Other info:
› if a drug not administered & reason why?
› Refusal of a medication & reason for refusal.
› Actual time of drug administration
› Data regarding clinical observations &
treatment of the pt if a medication error has
occurred.

24. Drugs can have three types of names:
a. chemical
b. generic
c. trade/brand/proprietary

25. a.Chemical name:
- a very precise description of the drug’s
chemical composition, identifying the
drug’s atomic and molecular structure.
- this name is of significance to the
pharmacist.

26. b. Generic name:
- The name assigned by the
manufacturer who first develops the
drug. Often the generic name is derived
from the chemical name.
- the official name is the name by which
the drug is identified in the official
publication.

27. c.Trade/ Brand/ Proprietary name:
- Is selected by the drug company
selling the drug and is copyrighted
- a drug can have several trade names
when produced by different
manufacturers

28. e.g. Chemical name= Acetylsalicylic acid
Generic name = Aspirin
Trade names include Aspro, Disprin
Be aware that in different countries
generic and trade names will also differ,
e.g. in Australia & the United States one
drug has the generic names of
paracetamol & acetaminophen, i.e.
Panadol/Tylenol.

29. Drugs can be classified from different
perspectives
e.g. drugs may be classified by -
(a) body systems
i.e. drugs affecting the respiratory system
drugs affecting the cardiovascular system
OR
(b) the symptom relieved by the drug, or the
clinical indication for the drug i.e. analgesic,
antibiotic

30.  MANE  morning
 MIDI  midday
 NOCTE  Night
 BD/BID  twice a day
 three times a day
 TDS/TID
 four times a day
 QID
 give immediately
 STAT
 when required
 PRN when necessary

31.  ac  before meals
 Pc  after meals
 q.h.or1/24  every hour
 q2h or 2/24  every two hours
 q4h or 4/24  every four hours
 qod  Every other day

32.  BUC  inside cheek
 O/P.O  oral/per oral
 S/L  sublingal
(under the tongue)
 ID  intradermal
 IM  intramuscular
 SC/SQ  subcutaneous

33.  SCI  subcutaneous
injection
 IVI  intravenous injection
 IVT  intravenous therapy
 NEB  nebuliser
 PR  per rectum
 TOP  topical/skin
 VAG  vaginal

34.  Rx  Prescribe, take
 NPO/NBM  Nil per oral/nil by
mouth